Just four years ago Alex Rodriguez was considered the most hated man in sports. He was the poster child for steroids cheats, was suspended from baseball for a season and has since been blackballed from Cooperstown by BBWAA writers who refuse to induct the eras greatest players if they were implicated in using PED”s.
Rodriguezs damaged public image didnt last long as he rehabilitated it over the past couple of years by offering lit baseball analysis for FOX TV.
In his day as a mythical baseball titan, A-Rod was a coveted free agent who made more money than any player before him. As an analyst, he is performing at the same Hall of Fame level he did as a player. Now, the guy who was like a bacteria to the game has become one of the rising stars in baseball broadcasting.
While Barry Bonds still struggles to fight the villain image at times, A-Rod has executed the quickest image transformation in the game.
It was confirmed that A-Rod is extending his broadcast duties and ESPN is hiring him and Matt Vasgersian of Fox Sports for “Sunday Night Baseball.”
Sporting News on Twitter
Alex Rodriguez will work with both ESPN and Fox Sports in 2018. ESPN is expected to announce a deal with the MLB analyst as early as today. From @MMcCarthyREV: https://t.co/hHggLvuDjl
The duo will join returning analyst Jessica Mendoza and reporter Buster Olney and make their broadcast team debut March 29 for the Dodgers-Giants game.
Fans of A-Rod can now get a double dose of his commentary in the booth for ESPN’s exclusive Sunday Night MLB game of the week during the regular season and in the studio for Fox as an analyst during the postseason and World Series.
Im looking forward to this new chapter in my broadcasting career,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “Its an exciting time in baseball and now I get that front row seat to tell that story every Sunday night on ESPN as well as calling my fourth postseason on Fox, where I started this journey.
Without the biased fanaticism endured by superstar players, the media pile-ons and the impossible situation of competing with Derek Jeter in New York for props, Rodriguez captivating personality and self-deprecating humor have given folks a different view of the guy who was once considered to be a selfish diva. His highly publicized love affair with Jennifer Lopez, an endeared and beloved international icon, has also helped his public image. IF J-Lo can fall for Alex, how bad a guy can he be right?
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Answer 17 Questions in 128 Seconds | Vanity Fair
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez sit down for a 128 second interview. The couple reveal their favorite dance moves, Alex’s flair for fashion and whose family is loudest. Still haven’t subscribed to Vanity Fair on YouTube?
Rodriguez will also appear in several upcoming network specials while also serving as executive producer, according to ESPN.
“Were excited about the potential for this team and were appreciative to our MLB Network and Fox Sports counterparts, as all parties were more than willing to collaborate in order to serve Major League Baseball fans,” said Stephanie Druley, ESPN’s senior vice president, events and studio production, in a statement.
